You’ve chosen to develop an e-newsletter– or possibly you currently have one. Regardless, the large inquiry before you is: What tool should you utilize to expand, and maybe monetize, your e-newsletter?
And yeah … it’s frustrating. There’s no scarcity of choices available. Some are also complex. Others are as well standard. And then there are 2 names that maintain turning up in your study: Beehiiv Custom Fields
They both appear strong. They’re both e-mail systems. They both let you create, send, and (ideally) get paid. But when it boils down to choosing one, the distinctions start to matter– a lot.
If you’re attempting to determine which one is in fact the far better fit for you, you’re in the ideal area. Let’s dive in.
What Are Beehiiv and Substack?
Substack is like the digital version of a writer’s comfortable edge. It’s a minimal platform developed with writers in mind– believe blog satisfies newsletter. You create, you publish, you struck send out. Boom. Done.
Beehiiv, on the other hand, is the newer, shinier youngster that’s clearly been constructed for development. It was substantiated of the Morning Brew team (yes, that Morning Brew), and it’s created to assist newsletter designers not just compose and send e-mails– however range like crazy.
Alleviate of Use: Simpleness vs Technique
Let’s be truthful– you do not want to invest hours learning a brand-new dashboard. You wish to open things, create your item, and send it off.
Substack nails this.
You open the editor, and it feels like a Google Doc with fewer diversions. No frills, no templates. Just you and your words. It’s oddly reassuring. Like journaling.
There’s a factor many authors like it– it gets out of the way.
Beehiiv? Still simple– but with more under the hood.
You get a timeless, tidy editor plus the ability to brand name your newsletter with custom-made templates (though these are only offered on paid plans). You can modify your blog post settings, adjust design, and even choose writer bylines. So while it’s still straightforward, it’s definitely much more robust.
Judgment:
If you want pure simpleness, opt for Substack.
If you’re alright with a few extra buttons in exchange for more control, Beehiiv wins below.
Money making: Who Aids You Really Make Money?
This one’s vital– especially if you’re not just creating for enjoyable.
Substack’s version is straightforward: it’s cost-free to utilize, once you activate paid subscriptions, Substack takes a 10% cut– plus deal costs. It’s plug-and-play for sure, but that piece of income loss can sting as you expand.
And if you intend to run ads? Well, you’re pretty much by yourself. There’s no indigenous ad network. You’ll have to manually take care of enrollers, repayment terms, and putting the advertisements yourself.
Beehiiv goes a different route.
It’s free to get started, but if you want accessibility to monetization features (like their ad network), you’ll require a paid plan. That claimed, they do not take a cut of your registration earnings (other than Stripe’s basic processing fees). So while you pay month-to-month upfront, you keep extra as you grow.
Oh– and the monetization devices? Means more modern:
- Life time memberships
- ” Pay What You Want” alternatives
- Integrated referral programs
- A native ad network to aid you land sponsors without the back-and-forth
Judgment:
If you’re planning to grow and actually generate income from, Beehiiv blows Substack out of the water.
Community & Engagement: Beehiiv Custom Fields
Newsletters aren’t practically sending things out. They have to do with pulling people in.
Substack leans into community hard.
You’ve got comments, suches as, replies, private messages, conversation threads– also a “Notes” section that imitates Twitter-lite. It’s slowly becoming a social platform of its very own. Some people like that. Others? Not a lot.
Nonetheless it’s a wonderful community if you want to develop conversations around your web content. It does not harm that Substack users can find you using the integrated network, and you can send readers to other writers.
Beehiiv is … quieter.
They’ve lately added remarks and suches as, yet it’s not as community-driven (yet). Individuals commonly just respond to your emails. That’s not a bad point– it keeps your inbox cleaner, and your content a lot more straight.
But where Beehiiv actually beams is in growth mechanics:
- Built-in referral programs
- Paid suggestions
- Cross-promotion devices to feature other e-newsletters
Judgment:
Wish to produce a humming, social area around your e-newsletter? Substack has the side.
Searching for integrated development engines? Beehiiv takes the lead.
Design & Adaptability: How Much Can You Make It Yours?
Let’s chat visuals. Just how much flexibility do you get to make your e-newsletter?
Substack keeps it minimal.
You can include a logo design. Modify a color. That’s about it. E-mails all have the same structure, and your Substack homepage? It resembles a blog site. Clean, however not super personalized.
Beehiiv provides a little bit extra adaptability.
There’s a “Layout Laboratory” where you can set fonts, designs, and background colors. In the editor, you can include tables, photos, switches, embeds– the essentials. It’s not Mailchimp-level customization, yet it allows you produce a newsletter that really feels even more like your very own brand name.
Judgment:
Substack is much better if you desire uniformity without believing too hard.
Beehiiv gives you the tools to make your newsletter feel you– without overdoing.
Target Market Insights & Analytics: What Do You Really Know About Your Readers?
This component matters method more than you believe.
Substack offers you the essentials.
Opens, clicks, readers by gadget. There’s a top-level view of where clients originated from– but it’s not granular. You do not really get detailed audience information, that makes it hard to understand what’s working.
Beehiiv goes deeper.
Open up and click rates? Examine. But also– how many people originated from X, Instagram, or your site. You can also see engagement by section, place, or actions. It’s the type of data that helps you in fact expand.
Decision:
Beehiiv wins hands-down if information issues to you (and it should).
List Monitoring & Automations: Can You Personalize the Experience?
Substack is straightforward.
You write an e-newsletter, and every person gets it. There’s no division, no tags, no automations. It’s a one-size-fits-all design. Straightforward, yes. Adaptable, not a lot.
Beehiiv, though?
You can segment your list based upon interaction, signup resource, behavior– you name it. Want to send out a welcome sequence to brand-new visitors? You can. Intend to label clients based on survey actions? Yep, that too.
Judgment:
Beehiiv is a marketing professional’s desire. Substack is a writer’s notebook.
Pricing
Substack is practically cost-free … till you make money. After that they take 10%.
Beehiiv’s free plan lets you test the waters with up to 2,500 clients. Yet to open monetization, you’ll need to upgrade:
Scale Plan starts at $49/month.
Boost based upon your customer count.
Greater rates offer innovative automations, referral boosts, and custom domains.
But once again– Beehiiv doesn’t take a percent of your profits. That’s a big deal.
Judgment:
Substack is fantastic if you intend to evaluate the waters and do not mind quiting 10%.
Beehiiv is better if you plan to range– and maintain even more of what you gain.
Which One’s In fact Much better?
If you’re still unsure, below’s the no-BS feedback:.
Use Substack if you’re a solitary writer who wishes to send out standard emails, engage with a community, and does not respect layout, information, or money making Beehiiv Custom Fields.
Select Beehiiv if you want to treat your e-newsletter like a company. It’s much better for severe growth, money making, automation, and segmentation. It’s essentially what you would certainly get if ConvertKit and Substack had an infant– with Morning Brew as the godparent.
Last Ideas
There’s no incorrect response below – simply tools that offer various goals.
But if you’re thinking about the long game? Desire more than just a place to strike “publish”? Want the flexibility to build, monetize, and utilize data to choose?
Beehiiv is your best choice.
It’s modern-day, built for makers and provides you the liberty to grow your listing exactly how you pick. So if you’re serious about your e-newsletter experience, Beehiiv isn’t just a system, it’s your establishing point.